Rise of the Dragonwitch
by Lady Artimes Blaine
Summary: A woman from the future is brought to the past to fulfill a destiny she never knew she had. Allies will be found, friendships will be made, and enemies will be born. Can one woman prevent the rise of magic's greatest enemy or will she seek to heal the wounds left behind by his rage and save the greatest kingdom the world has ever known? *Set before the Great Purge* *OC/OC*
1. Chapter 1: Blood and Magic

Lady A: Bit of randomness in the Merlin universe at last! Welcome to Rise of the Dragonwitch! This story will take place before the Purge, but there will be appearances made by Nimueh, Hunith, Uther, Balinor, maybe Gaius (still working on that one), and the Great Dragon of course. There might be other appearances along the way. There is a lot of OCs that will come and go, some might stick for bit and become major players. Now remember, the Purge happened 20 years before the series so it will be a while before the story reaches the series.

Oh and one more thing: The spells used in the story are in fact Old English with slight modifications for gender and the like so it isn't entirely accurate. Also, it was done one word at a time because I couldn't find a translator that did whole sentences. You'll find the English translations in the ending Author's Note after the chapter.

Alright, now this is the last thing: Make certain to check out my two Doctor Who stories. Phoenix Saga: Origin, with the jumper time stream and Guardian Saga: Seeker, with the linear time stream. Okay, I think that's it now. Whew!

Now on with the show!

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or anything I make references to. I only own my OCs and plot line. This disclaimer will only appear in the first chapter.<p>

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><p>Chapter One: Blood and Magic<p>

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><p>Artimes Blaine, a young woman with crimson red hair and eyes of liquid sapphire, raced through the darkened forest blindly, her clothes catching on the branches and bushes as she ran. She wore a long sleeved v neck, dark red shirt, a dark crimson leather jacket, and a matching skirt that ended at her mid thigh. The boots she wore were brown and ended just below her knees. Her hair was weaved into a single braid down her back, stopping just at her lower back.<p>

As for the reason why she was fleeing through a forest in the middle of the night, she was being chased by her ex boyfriend and his two friends. They had taken her to a party earlier that night to celebrate the release of her newest book. When they had become a bit too drunk and started feeling her up, she demanded to be taken home and that idea led to her current predicament.

Artimes did everything in her power to avoid them, but they eventually caught her. They each took turns using her body like she some cheap whore, but they made certain her clothes stayed intact. They didn't want any unwanted attention when they returned her to her flat later as it would appear suspicious if they returned without her. Through the entire ordeal, she was screaming; even though she knew no one would hear her. While she was catching her breath in between screams, she thought she heard the sound of something beating against the air like wings, but she wasn't entirely certain due to the amount of pain she was feeling.

Her eyes widened as a stream of fire shot through the air and just above them, scaring the drunken males off.

'_Run_.' A voice rumbled in her addled mind.

She pulled herself up from the ground, her vision blurring as she ignored the pain lancing through her tired body and ran deeper into the woods. She found what looked to be a cave hidden partially by dense foliage. Strange wind chimes and disks covered in runes adorned the entrance as well as the path. She felt a strange sense of peace coming from the cave, calming her frazzled mind and allowing her the chance to slow her heart rate.

She walked into the cave, careful not to disturb the ornaments and chimes. She felt the need to respect the odd decorations and not disturb the resting places. As she neared a large cavern, she heard her name being called from behind her. It felt like the blood in her veins had turned to ice when she heard the ornaments being ripped and tossed aside by the men following her. They had found her again and they were going to hurt her again if she didn't do something to stop them.

She staggered forward, trying to make as little sound as possible. Her legs slipped slightly from the blood flowing from her nether regions. She just had to be a virgin when they raped her, didn't she? She kept moving through the dark path until she reached the cavern. As she continued forward, she tripped over some sort of root or stone and she fell onto the hard surface of the cavern. She couldn't contain the cry of pain that escaped her mouth upon impact. She flipped over just as her ex and his friends entered the cavern, their eyes shining with lust.

'_Call forth the power from within_.' The rumbling voice from before stated in her mind.

They took a step towards her and her terror increased tenfold. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, and she wasn't even sure that she was breathing. All she could feel was terror and pain. They inched closer and closer like predators and she dug deep within herself to find something…anything to fight with.

She gasped as warmth exploded throughout her body. It calmed her mind, eased her pain, and melted away the terror. Unknown to her, her eyes flashed gold and the three men were blasted backwards by an invisible force. As each one hit the cave wall, a sickening crack echoed throughout the cavern. The slumped to the ground and did not move again. She collapsed onto her back, tears streaming down her face.

"Please help me, please help me." She whispered sobbing quietly.

'_It is time, dear one. Time to return from whence you came. Hold fast to your beliefs, for you and you alone can control the hands of fate. Go now and change destiny._' The rumbling voice replied.

She didn't know what to do. She just wanted the pain to stop and go to sleep. She was so tired and very much alone…with a strange voice echoing inside her head. Has she gone mad? She had trusted the voice before and she was able to save herself from her pursuers, though she wasn't entirely sure how. Maybe she should trust the voice again. He was the only thing that was making sense at the moment.

"How?" She asked her voice barely audible and hoarse from her previous screaming.

'_The power is within you. Let it guide you to where you are meant to be. Trust it and it will never fail you._' He answered.

She laid there, breathing deeply and thinking over the voice's words. She had to try, because there was no other way for her to move at the moment and maybe this so called _power_ would take her to someone who could help her. She closed her eyes and focused on the warmth that was still flowing inside her, steady and strong. She allowed herself to be submerged in that warmth and let it take over her completely. Her eyes flew open, flashing gold as her power rose to the surface.

"_Geryman se dors of tima, be se onweald of se Heah Sacerdess, ac feccan mec to min metod!_" She chanted her voice reverberating with power.

Upon completion, she was engulfed in a bright golden light.

'_I wish you luck, Kirakai and may the Goddess watch over you._' The rumbling voice stated as the light vanished, the crimson haired woman gone as if she had never been there in the first place.

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><p>Author's Note:<p>

'_Geryman se dors of tima, be se onweald of se Heah Sacerdess, ac feccan to min metod_' meaning 'Open the gates of time, by the power of the High Priestess, and take me to my fate (destiny)'

They didn't actually have a word for destiny so I substituted _Fate_ for _Destiny_.

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><p>Lady A: And there you have it! Chapter 1: Blood and Magic is complete! Next up is Chapter 2: Dark Guardian which will be the introduction of our second main character though you won't actually know who the person is until Chapter 3. Probably should mention that this is an OCOC pairing though at some point, Merlin will have his own love interest and I am still deciding on what to do with Arthur. Does he get Gwen or does he get an OC while I try to figure out a way to bring Lancelot back? Why don't you guys tell me what you might want and I'll see if I can swing it, kay? Anyways, leave tons and tons of reviews! Stay tuned!


	2. Chapter 2: Dark Guardian

Lady A: Hey everyone and welcome back to Rise of the Dragonwitch! The last chapter was a little dark and probably slightly confusing but this chapter should clear up a few things but also make you wonder what's going on and what will happen. *grins like a mad woman* Thanks to all those who faved, followed, and reviewed on the very first chapter! You guys get virtual cookies. *passes them out* Now on with the show!

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><p>Chapter Two: Dark Guardian<p>

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><p>A tall, young man dressed in black, wearing a black cloak, stood before a circular table. On the table was a dark red orb sitting on a silver stand. The orb was glowing softly, a swirling of golden energy dancing within its ruby depths. He stared into the orb, his shadowed face revealing nothing but hope filled steel blue eyes.<p>

"We have waited such a long time and that patience has been rewarded. At long last, the High Priestess of the Old Religion has come." He spoke aloud, his deep baritone voice revealing his relief.

He continued to stare into the glowing orb, waiting for it to reveal his charge's whereabouts. She needed to be protected at all costs.

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><p>Artimes awoke in a forest, not unlike the one she had been running through before, and struggled to her feet. Her entire body ached and she was beyond exhausted. It was dark out and frightfully cold, her breaths coming out in white puffs. She wrapped her arms around herself, her body shaking uncontrollably. She was not used to such cold temperatures, given that she had only just moved to England. Before that, she had lived sixteen years out of twenty five in the sub tropical climate of Florida.<p>

She had moved to London after a well renowned and well respected editor had accepted her series of novels and published them over the course of three years. She had been doing so well, her life going from dull and boring to fun and bright. She had her own flat, money to burn, friends to hang out with, and up until recently, a supposedly loving boyfriend.

She had been so stupid and naïve. All he saw was a beautiful and rich woman, his ticket for getting rich quick. He didn't see her, he didn't know her, and he used her. She wasn't blind; his friends had been drunk but he wasn't. His movements were not sluggish or relaxed like his idiot friends. He had orchestrated that whole thing! Her jaw clenched in rage. He and his drunk flunkies had raped her in the middle of the woods, stealing her virginity in the process, and were trying to break her so she wouldn't report them.

She forced her emotions down when she felt the warmth inside surge to the surface. She had to be careful. It was obvious that the power the voice had talked about reacted to her emotions, so she would have to learn to control herself. She didn't want to hurt anyone or herself by losing control. She started walking through the woods with no set destination in mind, but hoping to find someplace that was at least shielded from the elements so she wouldn't freeze to death. Tears flowed from her eyes once more, unable to hold them back as she did her best to ignore the pain in her body.

She had no idea where she was, no idea how she got there, and no idea to the identity of the owner of the rumbling voice that had spoken to her. Why had she been so inclined to trust that voice? She had trusted him, called on the warmth inside of her, and used it to fling three people away from her and she somehow teleported herself out of the cave and into a forest. What the hell was going on?! She just wanted some damn answers!

She was so confused and tired, but what hit her the hardest…wasn't the betrayal, wasn't the pain, wasn't the strange voice in her head, wasn't the warmth inside of her…no, what hit her the hardest was that right now, she was completely and utterly alone. Sure, she had been on her own at times like when she was a kid and her mom had to work or like when she first moved to London and didn't know anyone, but that hadn't lasted forever. There had always been someone nearby or a phone call away; her mother, her elder brother, her grandmother, her friends, her editor, but now she had no one. She was completely on her own, isolated, and that scared her more than anything else. She didn't want to be alone.

After what seemed like forever, she finally stumbled across a small cave, relatively shielded and looked to be safe and she went inside. She lowered herself to the ground slowly, whimpering as her body protested the change in position, and she curled into a ball. Her eyes slid close as she succumbed to her fatigue almost immediately.

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><p>The dark clad man that stood before the glowing orb growled low in his throat. He knew that the High Priestess had indeed arrived, but the Blood Stone refused to show him where she was. The only reason why it wouldn't would be if she wasn't using her magic and quite possibly didn't how to use it. He was getting frustrated because it was his duty to protect her and yet he couldn't find her. He forced himself to calm down, running a hand through his dark locks, and returned his focus to the orb, praying to the Goddess that he would find his charge soon.<p>

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><p>Four days…that was how long she had been wondering about and yet this day was different than the last three days. Why…this was the day that she was being chased by men in weird clothes who were carrying swords. She assumed them to be bandits of some sort, but in all honesty, she didn't care because she was once again running through a blasted forest. At least it was daylight rather than night time.<p>

She tripped and fell to the earth hard, crying out upon impact. Her body had not had enough time to recover and she was still in a lot of pain. It wasn't long before she felt several pairs of hands running along her body and she knew what was coming next. Why did this have to happen to her?! What had she done to deserve this kind of torture?! They flipped her over and roughly spread her legs apart, one of the bandits positioning himself in between her legs.

No! She refused to let this happen again! Never again! She grasped firmly to the warmth inside of her. It rushed to her command and she screamed as her eyes flashed gold. The bandits were flung away from her and she crawled backwards until her back hit a tree, unable to move any further.

Her little blast hadn't deterred them and seemed to egg them on. The bandits rose to their feet and stalked towards her, her eyes widening in fear as she remembered what her ex and his friends had done. Before the bandits could reach her; however, a whirlwind of dust appeared directly in front of her. The wind subsided to reveal a dark clothed man with slightly curled dark hair, wearing a black cloak, and was roughly six feet tall.

Who the hell was he? Why was he here? How did he just appear like that? Was he going to hurt her too? No, he was in between her and them so maybe, he was protecting her? Why would he do that? Nothing was making sense. The warmth inside her pulsed slightly as if assessing his presence and there was a responding call, warm like hers but also non threatening. Who was he? Could she trust him? She wanted to but she had no idea why he was there. She hadn't even seen his face yet.

Several of the bandits paled at the sight of the mystery man and dropped their weapons. Others simply ran away, yelling the words 'Blood Guard' as they did. Those remaining let loose a battle cry and rushed at the newcomer. He simply raised his hands in front of him and blasted them away. This time…they didn't get back up.

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><p>Lady A: Tada! Chapter 2: Dark Guardian is complete! And so we have introduced the second main character of Rise of the Dragonwitch! Can anyone guess who it might be? *grins* I bet you can't! Anyone who guesses correctly will get a special shout out and a whole batch of virtual cookies! Leave tons and tons of reviews and be on the lookout for Chapter 3: Healing Hands! Stay tuned!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Healing Hands

Lady A: Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay, but between Phoenix Saga: Origin, Guardian Saga: Seeker, and my soon to be new story, Warrior Saga: Rebirth, been a bit busy. As for the guest reviewer named Fen. Two things: 1. Create a profile, I would love to talk to you and 2. Is Fen short for something? Anyways, moving right along.

Brief Recap: Artimes has arrived in yet another forest. A mysterious man is looking for her. She gets attacked by bandits and said mystery man appears out of nowhere and comes to her rescue. Sounds a bit cliché, doesn't it? *sighs*

Looking Forward: The identity of her mysterious savior is revealed. *crickets* Yeah, that's all you're getting out of me.

On with the show!

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><p>Chapter Three: Healing Hands<p>

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><p>Every muscle in Artimes's body tensed as the tall, dark clothed man turned and faced her. Her mouth dropped open in surprise and all she could do was stare. Beautiful steel blue eyes, sharp cheek bones, and very handsome; not to mention that he was the spitting image of one of her favorite actors, Benedict Cumberpatch. Her brain couldn't seem to process who she was seeing, because it was completely impossible. She wasn't sure if she had died and gone to heaven or she had finally lost her sanity and was hallucinating.<p>

She watched as he knelt down next to her, his eyes soft and warm. She had to stop herself from blushing under his gaze. He reached out to touch her and her body reacted accordingly and jerked away in fright. She cried out in pain and he stilled his movements.

"I will not harm you." He said softly, retracting his hands.

She stared into those mesmerizing blue eyes that were filled with such worry and concern.

"Who are you?" She asked her breathing calming down a little.

"My name is Benedict, captain of the Blood Guard and your protector." He answered.

She scoffed at both his name and self proclaimed job title. Did he really expect her to believe that?

"If you're my so called protector then why did you only show up now? I've been wandering around on my own for over four days and you decide to only show up now?" She spat her anger stemming more from the pain than for the actual man.

She wasn't in the best of conditions. Her body was still severely injured from her ex and his friends, she had been sleeping on the hard ground, and been exposed to the elements for too long. She was lucky that she hadn't fallen ill from the harsh abuse her body had gone through. His steel blue eyes filled with remorse and guilt and she felt a twang of her own guilt slice through her system. It wasn't his fault that she was in pain and didn't have the normal filter for her emotions at that moment.

"I apologize, but I was unable to locate you until you used your magic." He answered.

Magic? Did he just say magic? What the hell? She didn't have magic because magic didn't exist…did it? Well, it might explain how she blasted her ex and his friends away and the bandits and how she was teleported into a forest and Benedict's sudden appearance. Magic was a little too convenient as an explanation, but certainly did explain a lot of things.

"Magic? Magic isn't real. At least, it's not where I come from." She countered quietly.

She slowly stood up, using the tree for support. Benedict tried to help her, but the moment his hands touched her, her magic pulsed. Her mind filled with images of that horrible night and it mixed with her magic, broadcasting it the dark haired captain subconsciously. He gasped and immediately retracted his hands.

"You were raped…severely." He stated his voice low in anger as his hands clenched into fists.

She stared down at the ground, her racing thoughts stilling for a moment.

"How do you know that?" She asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You are still new to your magic. It reacts to your emotions. You instinctively viewed me as a threat based on your recent experiences and your magic reacted accordingly, projecting your thoughts and memories to me as means of removing that threat." He explained his tone softening as his anger was apparently pushed aside.

She hadn't meant to see him as a threat but considering how many people had touched her in the last few days, she guessed it was to be expected. Her emotions were running so high and she hadn't had the time to truly acclimate or accept anything. He didn't do anything wrong and yet she had just subjected him to the worst night of her life. He didn't deserve that, not after saving her like he did.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." She whispered her tone laced with guilt.

"Do not apologize, my lady. I was not there to protect you, but I am here now. Will you allow me to heal you?" He asked gently.

He could heal her? Like properly heal her? Could magic really be that powerful?

"You can do that?" She countered leaning her back against the tree.

She looked up at him as he nodded.

"Yes, but it will require you to trust me." He answered honestly.

She just wanted the pain to stop, to forget that horrible night. She stared into his eyes, her mind weighing the pros and cons of trusting a man she knew so little about. He said he was her protector so it should only be natural for her to trust him, right? Maybe just a little and if he proved true to his word, they could build from there. Maybe even be friends. She would kind of like that.

"Okay, but one wrong move and I'll blast you with my…magic." She replied stumbling slightly over the word 'magic'.

She was having a hard time believing all this stuff about magic, but what other choice did she have? She was completely on her own and she knew next to nothing about the power that was inside her. She needed help and Benedict seemed to be sincere.

"Understood." He responded raising his hands slowly.

His eyes never left hers as he allowed his hands to hover a few inches from her body. She tried not to tense up at how close he was to her.

"_Nied baet flowans willan iernan na langer. Halian se wunds, haelian se feorgbold, niwian hwaet was losian_." He chanted his eyes glowing gold.

Those eyes…how they glowed…it reminded her of Merlin, how his eyes had flashed gold when he used his magic in the show. She inhaled sharply as she felt the pain slowly fade from her body until it was completely gone. Without the constancy of the pain, she realized just how exhausted she truly was. She fell forward and into the strong arms of her dark haired guardian. She was surprised that her body didn't tense up like it did before. Did she really trust him not to hurt her?Was he really there to protect her like he said?

He lowered them to the ground slowly, careful not to jostle her. For a few moments, she simply allowed him to hold her. He was warm, much warmer than she was and with his arms around her, she felt safe, completely safe…like nothing could hurt her with him there. She eyes began to water slightly when she realized that she didn't want to lose this feeling of safety and security. She shivered as the wind blew, goose bumps rising on her exposed skin.

"Are you cold, my lady?" Benedict asked softly, his mouth close to her ear.

She shivered at the sensation of his breath tickling her ear. Her heart beat quickened as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Artimes and yes I am. I'm not used to these kinds of temperatures." She answered her voice slightly muffled by his chest.

He shifted slightly and she whimpered in protest, not wanting to move. She then realized that he was removing his cloak and he wrapped it around her, clasping the front and rewrapping his arms around her. The cloak, though light, was very warm and that warmth was slowly seeping into her chilled body, making her very drowsy.

"You require rest." Benedict stated.

Sleep? How could she think of sleep at a time like this? If she went to sleep then he would disappear and she would be alone again. Her magic began to rise along with her fear.

"No." She replied sternly, her tone revealing a small amount of her fear.

"Why?" He asked his hands starting to rub soothing circles on her back and arm.

She hesitated, not wanting to admit what she was afraid of, but she simply didn't want shatter this hallucination. She wanted to cling to the warmth and security he provided in this very brief moment.

"If I sleep, I'll wake up alone. I don't want to be alone." She answered her hands gripping his shirt tightly.

"You are not alone, my lady, and you will never be again. I will not leave your side. I vow to stay with you always and protect you from all harm." He promised sincerity ringing in every word.

She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with tears. She wanted to believe that. She wanted him to stay and she didn't care if she only just met him. She just wanted Benedict to stay with her just like he promised.

"Do you really mean that?" She asked tears finally falling from her eyes.

He brushed them away as they fell, a soft smile on his face. His eyes were kind and filled with devotion.

"Yes, I do. Now sleep, Artimes. I will watch over your dreams." He answered his tone gentle and understanding.

She smiled slightly as her eyes closed of their own volition and she fell into a deep sleep, the sound of his heart beat and his forest like scent soothing her troubled mind.

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><p><em>Nied baet flowans willan iernan na langer. Halian se wunds, haelian se feorgbold, niwian hwaet was losian<em>. This translates to _Pain that flows will flow no longer. Mend the wounds, heal the body, restore what was lost_.

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><p>Lady A: Voila! Chapter 3: Healing Hands is over and done! Yes, I know. It's a bit cliché to use Benedict Cumberpatch as my secondary main character, but you have to admit, he does kind of suit the part of Captain of the Blood Guard. The next chapter is where we learn more about where Artimes is, well more like when she is. Leave of a ton of reviews and keep a lookout for Chapter 4: Prophecies and Legends. Stay tuned!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: Prophecies and Legends

Lady A: Hey everyone and welcome back to Rise of the Dragonwitch! First things first, a message to someone I have truly missed.

Fenrir! I was seriously hoping it was you! Shocked the living daylights out of me and I didn't know if it was you or not. I had to be certain. As for a profile, make one for Fan Fiction, please! The reason I haven't been on Edge World is because every time I try to log in, it locks up. Just completely freezes up the whole browser. In fact, my comp does that on almost all my online games now. *pouts* I haven't been able to get through long enough to send you a message to tell you what had been going on. I hope you can forgive me for just dropping of the face of the Earth like that. I never meant for that to happen.

Brief Recap: The identity of the mysterious man was revealed. Captain Benedict Strathem (pronounced stra-tem, the 'h' is silent), leader of the Blood Guard and Artimes's protector. She learns that the warmth she feels inside of her is her magic, though she honestly doesn't believe that. Benedict uses his magic to heal her and she fell asleep in his arms.

Looking Forward: Artimes discovers that Benedict is, in fact, real and not a hallucination. She forces herself to put the past behind her and learn more about where and when she is. Unfortunately, the more she learns, the more questions she has. She then decides to contact a very unusual source of information.

On with the show!

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><p>Chapter Four: Prophecies and Legends<p>

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><p>Artimes awoke to the sounds of a fire crackling, her mind still heavy from sleep. She listened to the fire's natural melody as her mind became clearer. Images of the bandits and the dark haired man that saved her resurfaced and came to the fore front of her mind. Her eyes flew open as she bolted upright. Her eyes darted around the empty cave and she felt her heart ache. Had it been just a dream? Was he nothing more than a figment of her imagination? He had seemed so real and so kind. She forced down the sob that was rising up from her chest.<p>

She jerked away when she felt a hand on her shoulder, her panic rising fast. She twisted around until her eyes landed on the man who had appeared from nowhere, saved her life, healed her body, and held her close. She looked into the steel blue eyes of Benedict, Captain of the Blood Guard. Relief flooded her system and disbelief danced in her eyes.

"You're still here?" She asked her tone breathless from her sudden movement.

He frowned at her before his facial features softened into one of understanding and patience.

"I made a vow to stay by your side. Why would I break such a promise?" Benedict countered.

Her gaze dropped to her lap, her cheeks rosy from embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had just blurted out her question like that. He must think she was crazy or perhaps deranged.

"I…uh…thought I had finally gone mad and was hallucinating. Sorry." She apologized.

His deep baritone chuckle made her blush even more but not in embarrassment this time. She had to admit that he had a very sexy voice, positively sinful really. No guy should ever have a voice that great because women wouldn't be able to resist such a voice which would explain why she had become addicted to the Sherlock series within the first twelve minutes of the first episode and why Benedict Cumberpatch was one of her favorite actors. It simply wasn't fair.

She jumped slightly when he knelt down in front of her and covered her hands with his. Damn it, why was she so damn skittish? This was the same Ben who had held her with no problems and yet now she was being all freaking paranoid. She swore a long list of mental curses in the direction of her ex and his friends.

"I swear on my honor that I will not harm you." He stated with conviction and sincerity ringing in every word.

She felt a pang of guilt at his statement. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. He had proven that already.

"I know. It's just…" She started but then trailed off, not really knowing how to express what it was she was feeling.

His thumbs rubbed soothingly across the back of her hands, relaxing her a bit. It was these small gestures of comfort that made her like him so much.

"Your physical wounds have been healed, but the ones to your heart have not." He replied.

She nodded. She felt really stupid and angry for being so damn jumpy, paranoid, and scared. Benedict had been a complete gentleman since she met him; he had saved, healed her, held her, looked after her, and protected her. He had been so patient, understanding, kind, and gentle, but because of the events that had happened recently, she was emotionally damaged. The whole situation irked her something fierce, because she had never been a damsel in distress and she loathed just how much those bastards had affected her.

She had been through so much crap in her life, but she had never given up. She always got back up, no matter how hard that was to do sometimes. She had never stopped being kind and trusting of others. She couldn't let this hold her back anymore. She had been spent four days in wallowing in the past, but no more. She was tired of running away or hiding from the things that wanted to hurt her. She had to face things head on like she used to. This was just one more obstacle to overcome and she would succeed.

She looked up at her dark haired guardian, a look of determination and resolve on her face. The first thing to do was to get information about where she was, when she was, and to learn more about this so called 'magic'. Perhaps they simply called it magic because they didn't know its actual name. She would call it magic for the time being. As for where, she had no clue, but as for when, she had already concluded that she was no longer in 21st century. She'd wager around medieval times, a time of swords and magic, but when exactly was she?

Moreover, something had been gnawing at the back of her mind for a while now. The voice from before had said that it was time for her to return from whence she came. Now if taken literally then that statement meant she was originally from this time and was somehow magically transported to the future and then magically teleported back. That sounded completely mad…could magic really do something like that? Could it actually defy the laws of physics?

"Where exactly are we?" She asked getting into a more comfortable sitting position.

When in doubt, ask a local for information. Benedict released her hands and also settled into a more relaxed sitting position.

"We are several miles from the White Mountains, in the kingdom of Camelot." He answered.

Her eyes widened at that information. Did he just say they were in Camelot? That would place her somewhere in or around the time span of the Arthurian legends! Another thing, he had said the White Mountains. She remembered Merlin saying that Ealdor was on the other side of the White Mountains in another kingdom. That was two things that lined up with the Merlin television show.

"Who is the current ruler of Camelot?" She asked trying to lock down exactly when she was.

"Uther Pendragon and his queen, Ygraine of the House of de Bois." He answered.

She mentally cursed. With Ygraine still alive that meant, if she were going by the Merlin show, she was right before the Great Purge, the war Uther raged against the magical world for the loss of his wife.

"What kind of king is he?" She asked her stomach tying up in knots.

Perhaps there was a chance to avoid the Purge if she could stop Nimueh from sacrificing Ygraine's life.

"He is a strict but fair ruler. He cares greatly for his kingdom and is respectful of the ways of the Old Religion." He answered frowning slightly but not remarking on her line of questioning.

Another fact from the show, the Old Religion. She had only ever heard it called that in the show and in the show, Uther had been respectful of the Old ways up until he lost Ygraine. She was beginning to wonder if the show was closer to the truth than the actual written legends. She decided to test out a bit of her knowledge. Benedict would tell her if anything was wrong.

"According to the legends of my time, Uther was a tyrant that blamed magic for the death of his wife. Given what you have told me, I have a pretty good idea where I am in the timeline." She stated glancing up at him to see what his reaction would be to the whole time travel thing.

"So the prophecy is true, you do come from the future." He replied his expression thoughtful and slightly awed.

Prophecy? So someone knew she was going to be dragged through time and into the past, but for what purpose? Why was she here and what did the rumbling voice mean by from whence she came? Was she really born in this time then whisked away to the future, only to return?

"Not according to the voice I heard before I came here." She countered her mind filling with the memories of the deep, rumbling voice and allowing it to mix with her magic to send it to the dark haired captain.

Benedict's eyes widened slightly.

"That voice. It is similar to Kilgarrah's." He commented.

Her mouth fell open in surprise. Was the Great Dragon real, she meant really real…as in actually existed kind of real? His eyes lit up with an idea, but would it actually work?

"The Great Dragon? So he actually exists?" She asked seeking confirmation.

Her dark haired guardian nodded and Artimes smirked.

"I have an idea." She stated rising to her feet and heading towards the exit of the cave.

If there was one person or creature in the whole of existence to have the answers she sought, then it would the Great Dragon, Kilgarrah. She could only hope that she could, in fact, summon him like Merlin could. It was the only she had to go on and she was a firm believer in hope.

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><p>Lady A: Voila! Chapter 4: Prophecies and Legends is complete! Things are about to get interesting so leave tons and tons of reviews and keep a lookout for Chapter 5: Riddles and Dragons! Stay tuned!<p> 


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